Wall system

ABSTRACT

A wall system has a plurality of intrinsically rigid wall elements, wherein the wall elements have face ends and are magnetically joinable to one another at the face ends.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLIACTION

The invention described and claimed hereinbelow is also described in U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.: 60/716,581 filed Sep. 13, 2005. It is also described in German Patent Application No. 10 2005 027 521.1 filed on Jun. 14, 2005, whose subject matter is incorporated here by reference, and which provides the basis for a claim of priority of invention under 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a wall system, particularly for exhibition booths, having a plurality of intrinsically rigid wall elements.

One such wall system is already known from European Patent Disclosure EP 0 890 982 B1. In this wall system, adjacent wall elements are joined together by a tongue-and-groove joint and are secured to one another by coupling elements in the upper and lower corner regions of the wall elements.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to propose a wall system whose wall elements are structurally constructed even more simply and can be joined together more quickly than the wall elements of the prior art.

This object is attained according to the invention with a wall system of the type defined at the outset, by providing that the wall elements can be joined together magnetically at their face ends.

As a result of the magnetic joining of the wall elements, additional fastening means, which would have to be inserted in a separate work step after the wall elements have been pushed together, can be dispensed with. The wall system of the invention can furthermore be constructed completely without tools from the individual wall elements. Thus not only is a faster construction of a wall made up of a plurality of wall elements possible, but the individual wall elements can also be designed structurally more simply.

The magnetic joining of the wall elements can be done in various ways. In a preferred embodiment, each of the wall elements is provided on one of its face ends with at least one permanent magnet or at least one steel plate and likewise on the opposed face end, at the same level, with at least one permanent magnet or at least one steel plate. Both the at least one permanent magnet and the at least one steel plate can be let into the face ends of the wall elements.

The magnet has one north pole and one south pole, and the steel plate joins the two poles, and as a result the two wall elements are securely held against one another. If the magnets and steel plates are let into the face end, then after the magnetic fixation, the wall elements rest flush against one another. The wall elements may be equipped with at least one magnet on one face end and with at least one steel plate on the opposite face end, or they may have solely permanent magnets or solely steel plates.

For simpler assembly, that is, for automatic lateral centering and for absorbing transverse forces, the wall elements may also be connectable to one another via a tongue-and-groove joint.

A further facilitation of assembly by means of automatic heightwise centering can be attained if the wall elements, on their face ends, can furthermore be joined together via at least one (preferably two) centering bolts, which engage at least one centering sleeve of the next wall element. However, the centering bolts and the centering sleeves serve not only for heightwise centering but also for stabilizing the wall, since by way of them, forces acting laterally on the wall can also be absorbed.

Preferably, each of the wall elements can be provided, on both vertical face ends, with at least one centering sleeve which has a thread into which one end, provided with a thread, of a centering bolt can be screwed and into which the other end of the centering bolt, without a thread, can be inserted. Thus all the wall elements can initially be equipped with centering sleeves. As needed, then centering bolts can be inserted into the centering sleeves into the left and/or the right face end. Free centering sleeves serve to receive centering bolts of the next wall element in succession.

So that intrinsically angled walls can also be produced, the wall system can have corner profiles of polygonal cross section, and one wall element can be fixed magnetically and/or mechanically to at least two at a time of the outsides of the corner profiles.

The corner profiles and the wall elements can also be capable of being joined together via at least one centering bolt, which engages a centering sleeve. It is advantageous if the at least one centering bolt is disposed on the corner profile. In this way, even with a relatively small cross section of the corner profiles, wall elements can be secured to all of the outer sides of the corner profiles. The centering bolts and centering sleeves again serve the purpose of height centering and of additionally stabilizing the joint.

In an alternative embodiment, the corner profile and the wall elements can be connectable to one another via a centering bolt with a head that is offset from its basic body; the centering bolt can be introduced into an oblong slot with a widened region for receiving the head, so that the head engages the oblong slot from behind.

To make it possible to attach a further wall element, perpendicular to a first wall element at any arbitrary point on one of the front sides of the first wall element, connection profiles of rectangular cross section may be provided, which are fixable to the upper and lower face ends of the first wall element and on whose outer side the second wall element is magnetically fixable. Once again, the second wall element and the connection profile can be connectable via at least one centering bolt, which engages a centering sleeve. The outer side of the connection profile extends parallel to the front side of the first wall element and can be secured in any arbitrary position on the front side by its being fastened on the upper and lower face ends of the first wall element. A second wall element secured to the connection profile is thus oriented perpendicular to the first wall element and subdivides the front side of that wall element.

In a manner known per se, feet to stand on can be capable of being screwed into the lower face end of the wall elements. These feet make it possible for the wall to stand up more securely and can serve to compensate for unevenness of the floor, if they are adjustable in height.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the present invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1, a front view of a wall element in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2, a section through the wall element of FIG. 1 taken along the line II-II in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3, a detail, partly in section, of the upper connection region of two wall elements in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4, a detail, partly in section, of the upper connection region between one corner profile and one wall element in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5, a cross section through the corner profile of FIG. 4 in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6, a detail, partly in section, of the upper connection region between a second corner profile and a wall element in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 shows a wall element 10, which in its interior has a frame, shown in dashed lines, that comprises two vertical frame legs 11, 12 and one upper frame leg 13 and one lower frame leg 14. As shown in the sectional view in FIG. 2, taken along the line II-II, the frame legs 11 through 14 are covered, toward the front sides 17, 18 of the wall element 10, by cover plates 15, 16. Between the frame legs 11, 12, the space between the cover plates 15, 16 is filled up by a honeycomb structure 19, for instance of cardboard. By means of this construction, although it is not compulsory, the wall element 10 is especially lightweight. Grooves 22, 23 are provided in the frame legs 11, 12 on the vertical face ends 20, 21 of the wall element 10; they serve to receive suitably shaped springs on the face ends of the adjacent wall elements.

The actual fixation of two adjacent wall elements 10, 10′ is effected magnetically, however, as FIG. 3 shows. A permanent magnet 24 is let into the vertical frame leg 12 of the left wall element 10. At the same height as the permanent magnet 24, the vertical frame leg 11′ of the right wall element 10′ has a steel plate 25.

For height centering and for additional lateral stabilization, both wall elements 10, 10′ are provided with centering sleeves 26. The centering sleeves 26 have a threaded region 26.1. In the case of the wall element 10, this threaded region 26.1 of the centering sleeve 26 serves for screwing in a centering bolt 27, whose free end is introduced into the centering sleeve 26 of the wall element 10′. However, the centering bolt 27 could equally well be screwed into the sleeve 26 of the wall element 10′. Thus the wall elements 10, 10′ may be designed identically with respect to the centering sleeves 26.

The connection shown, by means of a magnet 24 and a steel disk 25 as well as by means of centering sleeves 26 and centering bolts 27, is repeated in a practical way at least in the lower corner region of the connection of the two wall elements 10, 10′, which is not shown here; as a result, great stability of the joint is attained. To join the wall elements 10, 10′, merely pushing them together suffices. Undoing the connection of the wall elements 10, 10′ is also done simply by pulling them apart.

FIG. 4 shows the connection between one wall element 10 and a corner profile 30. The corner profile 30, as FIG. 5 shows, has a square cross section. Thus wall elements 10 can be connected to each of the outer sides 31, 32, 33, 34 of the corner profile 30. The connection is again made magnetically, and the corner profile 30 is provided with steel plates 25, while the wall elements have magnets 24. In addition, here as well the connection is stabilized by means of a centering bolt 27, which engages a centering sleeve 26 on the wall element 10.

If the corner profile 30 has a correspondingly differently shaped polygonal cross section, then connections of wall elements at an angle other than 90° are also possible.

FIG. 6 shows an alternative connection between a wall element 10 and a corner profile 30′, the latter having an oblong slot 29 with a widened region 29.1, preferably on each of its sides. The head 28, offset from a basic body 27.1′, of a centering bolt 27′ can be introduced into the widened region 29.1. Next, the corner profile 30′ is moved downward, so that the head 28 engages the narrow part of the oblong slot 29 from behind and thus secures the connection.

This purely mechanical connection between the corner profile 30′ and the wall element 10 is very stable, and preferably a second centering bolt and oblong slot connection is provided in the lower region of the corner profile 30′ and of the wall element 10. To facilitate assembly when connecting a plurality of wall elements 10 to the corner profile 30′, the widened regions 29.1 of the oblong slots 29 may be located on the other sides of the profile 30′, outside the narrow region.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a wall system, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention. 

1. A wall system, comprising a plurality of intrinsically rigid wall elements, said wall elements having face ends, said wall elements being magnetically joinable to one another at said face ends.
 2. A wall system as defined in claim 1, wherein each of said wall elements is provided on one of said face ends with an element selected from the group consisting of at least one permanent magnet and at least one steel plate, and on an opposed face end, at a same level, is provided with an element selected from the group consisting of at least one permanent magnet and at least one steel plate.
 3. A wall system as defined in claim 2, wherein said at least one magnet and at least one steel plate are let into said face ends of said wall elements.
 4. A wall system as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall elements are joinable together at said face ends via a tongue-and-groove joint.
 5. A wall system as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall elements on said face ends are joinable together via at least one bolt which engages in at least one centering sleeve of a next one of said wall elements.
 6. A wall system as defined in claim 4, wherein said wall elements on said face ends are joinable together via two said centering bolts.
 7. A wall system as defined in claim 5, wherein each of said wall elements, at least on two of vertical face ends is provided with at least one centering sleeve having a female thread into which an end, provided with a thread, of a centering bolt is screwable and into which another end of said centering bolt without the thread is insertable.
 8. A wall system as defined in claim 1; and further comprising corner profiles having a polygonal cross-section, each of said wall elements being fixable in a manner selected from the group consisting of magnetically, mechanically, and both, to at least two of outer sides of said corner profiles.
 9. A wall system as defined in claim 8, wherein said corner profiles and said wall elements are joinable together via at least one centering bolt which engages in a centering sleeve.
 10. A wall system as defined in claim 9, wherein said at least one centering bolt is located on a respective one of said corner profiles.
 11. A wall system as defined in claim 8, wherein said corner profiles and said wall elements are joinable together via at least one centering bolt having a head that is offset from a basic body, said centering bolt being introducible into an oblong slot provided on said corner profile that has a widened region for receiving said head, so that said head engages said oblong slot from behind.
 12. A wall system as defined in claim 1, wherein for attaching a second wall element perpendicular to a first one of said wall elements at any arbitrary point of one of front sides of said first wall element, the wall system further comprises connection profiles of rectangular cross-section, which are fixable to an upper and lower face end of said first wall element, and on whose outer side the second wall element is magnetically fixable.
 13. A wall system as defined in claim 12, wherein said second wall element and said connection profile are joinable via at least one centering bolt that engages a centering sleeve.
 14. A wall system as defined in claim 1; and further comprising feet to stand on, which are screwable into a lower face end of said wall elements.
 15. A wall system as defined in claim 1, wherein the wall system is configured as a wall system for exhibition booths. 